Concrete-block machine.



PATENTED MAR. s, 1908.

A. "T. BARNES. CONCRETE BLOCK MACHINE. APPLICATION PILE D'APR. 1. 1907.

Sum/urea ALBERT T. BARNES, OF NEOLA, IOWA.

CONCRETE-BLOCK MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 3, 1908.

Application filed April 1. 1907. Serial No. 365.764.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT T. BARNEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Neola, in the county of Pottawattamie and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Concrete-Block Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for forming concrete brick or solid blocks of the type in which the cement or like material in plastic condition is placed within properly shaped molds, where it is allowed to remain and harden into definite desired shape and then removed from the mold. In concrete machines of this general type, it has heretofore been necessary, because of the adhesion of the brick or block to the walls of the mold, to over turn the latter, and violently effect dislo'dgment of the block by means of more or less heavy blows upon the walls of the mold, which process frequently resulted in the frac ture of the block.

It is the object of my invention therefore, to provide a molding machine by the use of which the necessity for dropping the block out of the overturned mold shall be obviated.

This I accomplish by making all of the walls of the mold but one readily movable with respect to a contained block or brick, so that the feature of my device is that in its use the molding machine is removed from operative contiguity to the finished block, whereas in other machines the finished block must be violently dislodged from the rigid mold.

Other objects and aims of this invention will appear in the course of the following specification, in which what constitutes invention will be fully set forth and defined in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as a part of this specification, and in which I have illustrated a preferred form of embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing a form of embodiment of my invention closed as in the process of molding. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the numerals on the drawings 1 indicates the preferably rectangular bed plate or supporting platform of my device, upon which rests a pallet 2, which constitutes the floor of the mold proper. Said pallet is loosely placed upon the bed plate, so that as of the back wall, and the lower edges thereof respectively shall'extend down flush with the pallet 2, when the latter is in its proper operative position upon the bed plate 1, to wit, backed up against the back Wall 3.

6 indicates the front wall of the molding device, hingedly secured to the side of the bed plate 1 opposite the back wall 3, and adapted to be swung down to the position shown in Fig. 3 or to be closed up into molding position as shown in Fig. 1. The structure thus far described constitutes a mold for making a single block. The same may be provided with any preferred form of looking devices for holding the movable walls in operative position with respect to the rigid.

back wall. I have shown a locking device comprising a bar 7 pivoted to the rear end of each side wall so as to vertically swing, and having at its forward end a notch adapted to take over a corresponding notch in a locking bar 8 which extends in front of the front wall of the mold. When the parts of the locking device are properly relatively shaped and disposed, the walls 3, 4, 5 and 6 may be brought closely into operative relations with each other. I provide also a scraper for use in connection with this device, comprising a two armed member 9 having a body portion longer than the longest wall and the mold and two arms for manipulating the same.

The mold being in position, the material to be shaped is poured thereinto until the box is filled to the top whereupon the scraper arm 9 is drawn over the top of the box, smoothing the top surface of the material, and removing the superfluity thereon into a suitable place apart from the mold.

In the form of embodiment of my invention illustrated I have shown a concrete machine which is capable of making several bricks or blocks in one operation, and I will now proceed to describe this amplification of my present idea. In the first place I divide my mold space into a number of parts, by means of partitions 10, each of said spaces a carrier bar 11.

constituting the mold fora separate brick or block. For the sake of consistency with the novel idea previously described, it is necessary to make said partitions movable with respect to the rear wall 3 and the pallet 2. Accordingly said partitions are adapted to be moved into and out of engagement 'with properly shaped slots or grooves in the rear wall 3, and are fastened at their other end to Slots, .are formed in the front wall G'heretoforedescribed to permit of the movement of the :said partitions out of operativerelations with the back wall 3 and pallet 2, without absolutely removing the partitions away from the machine, and I prefer to attach to bottom-of the front wall 6a pair of parallel :rods 12, bent upwardly at theirforward-ends, along which the carrier bar 1'1,'with.its attached partitions 10, may be slid and brought to the position shown in Fig. 3. .Iffnow the locking devices 7 and 8 be brought to unlocked position, the front wall 6 may be swung down, carrying with it the rods 12, and the carrier bar 11 and partitions IO-supported thereby. Thus the side walls 4 and 5 being alsoswung out sidewise the various blocks Will be separated upon the pallet 2-and they fmay all together be removed with said .pallet,'the adhesion of the 'blocks to the rear wall 3 being a negligible quantity.

It is designed to construct the various parts of this machine of steel or cast iron in order to withstand the strain and wear to which the machine is subjected in actual "practice though 'of course the pallet, and, if

sufliciently clear, from the foregoing description of parts, to one skilled in the art, and further detailed-description is therefore omitted.-

What I claim is:

'1. In a concrete block machine, in combination, a bottom wall, a back wall, and side walls; a front wall adapted to 'be moved into pendent relations with the bottom wall; partitions slidable through said front wall; and

'means for holding the partitions together nation, a bottom wall and a back wall relatively fixed, movable side walls attached to said back wall, a front wall hingedly secured to said bottom wall, movable partitions operatively connected together, and movable through the front wall, means for holding said partitions when the said front wall is moved, said means comprising a pair ofrods rigidly connected to said front wall and having upturned ends, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set'my hand in the presence of tWo witnesses.

ALBERT BARNES.

Witnesses:

J. H. LOWREY, J T. MITCHELL. 

